Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/meet-the-dhs-digital-service-champions-may-2018-caee7dade2b
Jennifer B. Higgins, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/meet-the-dhs-digital-service-champions-may-2018-caee7dade2b
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. It is designed to address skill gaps in the U.S. workforce while ensuring wage standards to protect both U.S. and H-1B workers. Employers must certify that they will pay H-1B workers wages equal to or greater than those of similarly qualified U.S. employees or the prevailing local wage.
The average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98%, slightly higher than 2023's 97.3%. Locally, employers across all industries located within the Richmond Leader publication area submitted 190 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 100%.
The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings in the Richmond Leader publication area during 2024, with 49 petitions (25.8% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Health Care and Social Assistance industry was the second largest contributor, filing 39 petitions (20.5% of the total), with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, the Manufacturing sector in the Richmond Leader publication area saw a 5.3% increase in the number of H-1B petitions during 2024.
The United States admits around 1 million legal immigrants annually, most of whom receive permanent residence (green cards) through family sponsorship or employment-based visas. In 2023, about 1.2 million immigrants were granted green cards, a return to pre-pandemic levels. Temporary visa programs, such as the H-1B for highly skilled workers and H-2A for seasonal agricultural workers, also play a critical role in filling workforce needs.
Public opinion on immigration varies, with 46% of Americans favoring maintaining current legal immigration levels, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey. Additionally, 42% believe that highly skilled workers, such as scientists, doctors, and programmers, should be prioritized for legal immigration, compared to 25% who prioritize workers filling labor shortages and 19% who emphasize family sponsorship. Despite this, family sponsorship remains the most common path to permanent residency, accounting for 63% of green cards issued in 2023.
The data in this article comes from the H-1B Employer Data Hub provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). While USCIS strives for accuracy, manual data entry and errors on paper forms submitted by applicants or petitioners may result in discrepancies in employer names, tax IDs, locations, or other details.
| Rank | Industry | Total Petitions | % of All Submissions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 49 | 25.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 39 | 20.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 20 | 10.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Finance and Insurance | 20 | 10.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Public Administration | 16 | 8.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 15 | 7.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Transportation and Warehousing | 12 | 6.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Educational Services | 8 | 4.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Retail Trade | 4 | 2.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Information | 3 | 1.6% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VCU Health System Authority | Health Care and Social Assistance | 36 | 100% | 0% |
| Virginia Department of Transportation | Public Administration | 15 | 100% | 0% |
| Altria Client Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Estes Express Lines | Transportation and Warehousing | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Genworth North America Corporation | Finance and Insurance | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| University of Richmond | Educational Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Summit Human Capital | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Brinks Incorporated | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Ahaapps, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Alfa Laval, Inc. | Manufacturing | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Indivior, Inc. | Manufacturing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Avis Global It Solutions, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Sage Techsolutions, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Elephant Insurance Services, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mission Lane, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| James River Management Company, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| LL Flooring Holdings, Inc. | Retail Trade | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Newmarket Services Corporation | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Nirsense, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hunton Andrews Kurth, LLP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Universal Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc. | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Virginia Department of Energy | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Bon Secours Medical Group Richmond | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| AMC Technology, LLC | Information | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Afton Chemical Corporation | Manufacturing | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Topia, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Timmons Group | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Swedish Match North America, LLC | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Virginia Housing Development Authority | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| WDM USA Limited | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Wells Coleman and Company, LLP | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Spider Management Company, LLC | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| West Creek Financial, Inc. | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Soch, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Shamin Hotels, Inc. | Accommodation and Food Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| RRMM Architects, PC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Avepoint, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Buford Road Pharmacy, Inc. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cite Design, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Cobotiq, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Commonwealth of Virginia Secretary | Public Administration | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Country Club of Virginia, Inc. | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Dominion Digital, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| DSD Partners, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Faith Landmarks Ministeries | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond | Finance and Insurance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Glave and Holmes Architecture, PC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Global Infrastructure Services, LLC | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| LL Flooring Holdings D B a Lum, Inc. | Retail Trade | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Maconit, Inc. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| NTT Group Services America Inc., Ltd. | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Paymerang, LLC | Information | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Phlow Corporation | Manufacturing | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Rehabilitation Hospital Corporation of Americas, LLC | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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